Member Article

Smoothie start-up

Recent Biz Idol under 18 winner Glyn Connolly, is getting stuck in to developing his winning business idea of contemporary health cafes and juice bars by seeking advice from one of the region’s top entrepreneurs.While studying for his A-levels, Glyn developed a business idea of creating healthy meal alternatives in the form of revitalising fruit drinks and smoothies. He is the first person to win Biz Idol Under 18 and his prize consisted of £250 cash, dinner with the Entrepreneurs Forum panel, professional mentoring, a pocket PC from Mobilx, a helicopter ride with Metro Radio’s Marky Mark, 12 month membership to networking organisation The Bridge Club and free consultancy with Changemakers to investigate possible funding and grants available to start-up businesses.30 year old Steven Bell is one of the region’s top young entrepreneurs, whose computer components business Mobilx turns over £130million. Steven Bell said: “Glyn has a sound business head on young shoulders and I have helped him fine tune his business plan in order to attract the investment he needs, as I myself have been through the nerve-wracking process of venture capital raising. I will be keeping a close eye on his progress, and will be supporting him as he takes the business to the next level and hopefully opens his first juice café-bar very soon.“Biz Idol U18 was strongly supported by Giant Minds, TDR Training and a range of private and public organisations, including Aspire and the North East Really Delivers campaign. The competition was part of Business Week Tyne & Wear - a North-East Chamber of Commerce business led initiative working in partnership with a number of public and private sector organisations and funded through the TyneWear Partnership from One NorthEast, which took place in early July.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .